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Children's books

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Original poster

Exciting books for boys that are not scary please

37 replies

deaconblue · 01/03/2012 18:38

Ds is only 5 but has a massive vocab and has been enjoying stories for older children. We are reading Harry potter to him at the moment and he loves the books but keeps having bad dreams so we think they are too scary.
Recommendations for non scary books aimed at 7-8 yr olds would be brilliant thanks

OP posts:
wearymum200 · 01/03/2012 19:38

Ds is now nearly 6, he likes astrosaurs, david mellings' goblin books (shadow goblins, puddle goblins etc), jack stalwart, wild rescue, greek myths
When a bit younger he loved dinosaur cove and he's just coming out of his beast quest phase (i think; i would not read BQ to him ,too dull! He didn't seem to find them scary)
He also loved Narnia and was in no way freaked by them. Prince caspian is his favourite though, lots of swords and battles....

fuzzpig · 01/03/2012 19:36

Secret Seven? Exciting mystery style but much simpler than famous five. Can't remember any mention of 'revolvers' and such.

Himalaya · 01/03/2012 19:34

I really recommend the Tashi books. Underrecognised Favourites

Original poster
deaconblue · 01/03/2012 19:21

Have been considering narnia books but wondered if the scene where Aslan is 'killed' might be too much

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Original poster
deaconblue · 01/03/2012 19:19

He loved flat Stanley and has really enjoyed faraway tree stories and the borrowers series. Will have a look at Charlie bone, sounds promising if it is similar to Harry potter

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Takver · 01/03/2012 19:18

More modern books:
Astrosaurs
Cows in Action
Captain Underpants (don't be put off by the title!)
No. 1 Car Spotter series
pretty much anything by Dick King Smith (esp if he likes animals)

Classics which might fit the bill:
The Swallows and Amazons books (and there are 12 if he likes them - they were our bedtime reading for dd for ages!)
Farmer Boy and the earlier Little House books, esp Little House in the Big Woods
The Narnia books
Enid Blyton Famous Five et al (though personally I would either get audio books or avoid these until he is old enough to read them to himself Grin )

queenrollo · 01/03/2012 19:14

the Cows In Action books have been a big hit in our house.

Himalaya · 01/03/2012 18:56

Harry Potter is a bit old for a 5 year old IME, and Tintin is way too old.

I would try Flat Stanley (but not the sequels which are tedious) my naughty little sister (and Bad Harry), the Big Big Book of Tashi, some of the Roald Dahl books (fantastic mr fox, the bfg, James and the giant peach)

ropes · 01/03/2012 18:48

Charlie Small is good journal like adventure. Or you could try Charlie Bone (a Harry Potteresque series - but not nearly as scary)

LaCoccinelle · 01/03/2012 18:45

DS is 5 and loves Tintin, he can read them (mostly) by himself now but when he was younger he would get DH to read them to him. I refused, I don't get Tintin and I can't read comic strips out loud.

Sparklingbrook · 01/03/2012 18:44

Has he read any Flat Stanley? My DS loved them when he was younger.

Original poster
deaconblue · 01/03/2012 18:41

We've read all the Dahl books, done lots of Jeremy strong and he has rejected the how to train a dragon series btw

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